Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-11-07


underlying feeling with the masses
of the party is what in the end will
control the matter. Boston JOurHDI.
WASHINGTON LETTER
Especial CORRESPONDENCE OF THE MoNIroR.l
Washington, Nov. Ist.
With the exception of the secretary
of the navy, who has temporarily re-
tired from duty on account of illness,
all of the cabinet are busy at work
preparing their reports and at the
same time giving points to the presi-
dent, who is engaged in the amluous
work of collecting material for his
annual message-one of the most diff
ficult undertakings that he has to per-
form. 1t is under stood that this
state paper will be largely devoted to
the discussion of the tariff and finance
taking advanced ground upon both
Of these vital questions.
The first or long session of the
fiftieth congress is awaited with i'm
patient interest, as much important
legislation is anticipated, some of
which will probably be of a partisan
character. OF course, there will be
the usual efforts at tariff tinkering
and the same number of pension
bills, and there will be many schemes
devised to dispose of the treasury
surplus. But the legislation that will
be of most interest to the masses of
American people will be the great
movement for one-cent letter postage,
which | have reason to believe will
prove successful, 'because it is the
popular demand, and it is probable
that the government can, after a rea-
sonable length of time, make the
postal service self-sustaining on this
basis In 1892, when letter-postaee
was reduced from three to two cents,
there was a deficit the first two wears.
but since then the condition of tie
service has continued to improve III
til it has become a source of revenue
to the national treasury.
The third and fOurth-class posi-
masters of the United States, feeling
that their salaries are inadequate, and
smarting under this injustice, propose
to seek a redress of their grievance
by assembling in national convention
in this city on December 18th next
and presenting a petition to congress
to give them an increase of pay COM
mensurate with the labor imposed on
them.
The next happening of national in
terest at the Capital will perhaps be
the meeting of the fisheries ccmmis-
sion early in November. The Amer
lean members are already in the city,
and are being trained in their duties
by Secretary Bayard. The British
commissioners are expected in a week,
and then the conference will begin in
the state department. From all [
can learn of the character of Mr..
Chamberlin, the chief British com
missioner, it would seem he is more
of controversialist than a diplomat
ist, which fact does not promise well
for a satisfactory solution of the DIFF
ferences existing between the two
great English speaking nations.
Under the new rules the civil-ser-
vice guillotine has begun to swing
with telling effect, and that it is a
long-distance machine is evident by
the fact that the first thirty three de-
| capitatiOns were not in the depart
ments at Washington, but in the
| New York COustOm House, that num-
Der of clerks being dismissed after
failing to pass two examinations. The
new rules are being applied in the de-
partments here, although they have
as yet only been enforced in the war
department, but no second examina-
tions have taken place.
Civil service is almost being cover
ed with contempt by the bitter antag-
onism that has arisen among the civil
service commissioners, Mr. Edgerton,
the chairman, being arrayed against
his colleagues, Messrs. Oberly and
Lyman. There are those who believe
that the president should interfere
and re-organize the commission I'M
less he can "pour oil upon the trou-
bled waters
The cases of the Chicago anarchists
are now before the United States su-
preme court, after a most exhaustive
discussion by the ablest counsel of
the country, and a decision is expect
ed any moment, the prevalent opin-
ion being that it will be adverse to
| the defendants.
| Dakota votes on Monday, Nov 18th,
upon the question of a division of the
territory The territory now has popu-
lation of 568, All and an assessed valua-
ton of $157, 084, 365.
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